Chapter 147
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Purume takes on the mind-boggling task of handling thirty out of over a hundred problem children. After spending hours sincerely appealing to them to get along, she manages to open all of their hearts.
Just as reports come in that they’ve managed to reduce the Fog numbers in areas that had entered the red zone due to the slackers, thanks to sending in a large number of personnel—Purume finds herself at another crossroads, right when she thought she could finally catch her breath.
「Ah, again? Where is it this time?!」
Purume and her companions’ voices echo through a room in Skuld’s guild—the upper echelons of the Virtuous front line. It’s another large-scale request for support, separate from the previously mentioned area.
The current situation for Virtuous is like a sinking ship.
They patch up one leak, only for another to appear elsewhere. While they’re fixing that, yet another hole opens up. In the meantime, the ship’s durability is compromised, and they’re running out of manpower. As a result, the burden on each crew member inevitably becomes heavier, putting tremendous strain on both their mental and physical well-being.
Purume shakes her head as she considers this.
She needs to change her thinking somehow.
This situation is beyond salvaging.
That’s the premise she has to start with.
The key now is to believe that Omi and Ichiro will destroy the Sealed Dungeon, and to maintain this situation as long as possible until then.
She understands this. However, it’s inevitable that the constant stream of reports generates a sense of urgency.
If that’s the case, she must absorb everything, including that feeling, and not show any signs of impatience to those around her.
Purume reminds herself of this while reaching into her pocket to grip a certain charm tightly.
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This time, Purume’s party, consisting of those who had been considered unfit for battle along the way, responds to the support request.
It’s a test run to see if the party can function, but more than that, Purume has an ominous feeling about this request.
She feels that even if her premonition is correct and an extremely difficult problem arises, she can somehow manage it. Moreover, she’s worried that if an area falls completely to the Fog, it will surely lead to a repeat of the previous Sealed Domain incident.
That’s precisely why it makes sense for her to go herself.
Purume’s party, arriving in the area that requested support, finds themselves in an extremely tight battle under their leader’s command.
The Fog is already visible here and there on the plains, without even needing to search for it.
In this situation, the problem is how to eliminate them at a speed that exceeds the Fog’s rate of multiplication.
Purume immediately divides her assigned party into five groups and manages to set up a brief discussion time with the leaders of the parties originally in charge of the area in question.
During this meeting, Purume distributes the vast number of potions and mana recovery potions she had been stockpiling to them, and proposes a more efficient way to defeat the Fog, including their participation.
It’s nothing complicated. With a large number of people, they can create parties that can rest efficiently even during battle. Her proposal is to establish even closer cooperation than before, considering the battles to come.
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In conclusion, her proposal is accepted.
This allows for parties that can rest regularly and efficiently, making it possible to defeat the Fog more effectively than ever before.
Hearing this, one might think it was a splendid achievement, but the truth is slightly different.
Purume makes another proposal to the personnel in the area, which is more of a heartfelt appeal.
「If anyone feels sleepy, they can ask a healer to cast an awakening Heal on them. This can eliminate most of the need for sleep. If you’re injured or tired, you can drink as many potions as you need. If you’re running low on mana, drink mana potions. If you’re worried about running out of potions, don’t be. I’ve brought a ridiculous amount. Drink as much as you want. Don’t hold back. In fact, drink up. Chug them. Guzzle them down.」
Of course, the leaders who initially refused the proposal, calling it unreasonable, quickly became Purume’s heart friends after hearing her desperate appeal.
Her strategy proves successful.
Bit by bit, Purume and her team’s Fog elimination rate begins to surpass its regeneration rate. They continue to engage in battle without rest, not slacking off even for a moment.
Then, on the seventh day—
The same day Yamada and the others escape from the Sealed Dungeon.
As the sky begins to lighten, the number of Fog has decreased significantly, and Purume lets out a sigh of relief.
She thinks that at this rate, they should be able to send back many personnel by evening and dispatch them to other areas.
「Lady Purume! Did you see that?!」
Klein turns his sparkling eyes towards Purume.
「Oh, amazing, amazing! You can do it when you try!」
Klein lets out an 「Aoo」 of joy at her words of praise, his cheeks flushing.
「Big sister! Forget about that guy, look at my magic instead!!」
This time, it’s the noblewoman who became Purume’s second friend. She too directs a pure gaze towards Purume.
「I’m watching. That Flame Pillar you used earlier was quite good.」
At Purume’s praise, she trembles with an 「Uuuun!」
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It happens at noon that day.
The Fog elimination progresses faster than expected.
Purume, who had been working on elimination without rest until now, sits down in a makeshift hut set up at the base.
Many of those present feel the tension dissipate, and a relaxed atmosphere flows. That’s why only Purume senses something abnormal.
「Too fast… this shouldn’t be possible.」
The decrease in Fog at a rate far exceeding expectations must have some cause other than elimination.
At least, that’s how Purume understands it.
Just then, the sound of someone roughly opening the door echoes rudely.
「Miss Purume!!」
It’s a scout from a party currently engaged in battle.
「A, a monster has appeared!! Quickly!! Please help my comrades!!」
He shouts this and then falls to his knees from exhaustion.
She should have let him rest, but to reach the location of his testimony in the shortest time possible, it was best to take him along.
「Those who can spare the energy, follow me. You and you, hurry back to Skuld and report the current situation. Split up and inform Nelly, Honest, the Knights, the Rebellion, and Eden’s Garden leaders that we’re entering combat with an unidentified monster. If they have any personnel to spare, ask them to prepare. I’ll communicate the details to those who have the Contact Pearl.」
With that, Purume and her team rush towards the monster along with the aforementioned scouts.
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What Purume sees upon arrival is a three-headed dragon.
In the end, no one would ever know, but this dragon is the embodiment of Holy Knight Ashley’s fear. It’s the ultra-enhanced version of the monster that led to her being called 「Ashley the Big Game Hunter.」
Its body is composed of a turbid liquid, and although many have already fired magic at it, it doesn’t seem to be having any effect at all.
Then, the mouths of each of the dragon’s three heads begin to glow.
Purume feels an immense concentration of energy.
A roar that shakes the atmosphere—and with it, energy masses are released as beams from all the mouths.
One pierces the sky above, one blasts through the mountain behind them, and one engulfs Purume and her companions.
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